Harness-strap



(No Model.)

I. BERGMAN.

HARNESS STRAP.

No. 362,708. Patented May 10, 1887,

INVENTOR 1 WITNESSES I ATTORNEY.

N PETERS, Pnowmhu m hor. Wzshinglnn. D. c.

UNiTno STATES ISAAC BERGMAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

HARNESS=STRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,708, dated May 10, 1887.

Application filed January 25, 1887. Serial No. 225,424. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, Isaac BERGMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Harness-Straps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in the construction of certain straps of harness, to wit: those straps which are subjected to most strain, and which at the same time bear directly against the animal and are liable to chafe his skin. These include the brceching or holdback strap, the breast-strap, the neckstrap, and the bell'y-band, all of which are padded straps having a re-enforce.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a breeching or hold back strap havingrny invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of same on line 2 2. Fig. 3 is an outer face and broken portion view of the strap. Fig. 4: shows the wool side of a piece of the sheepskin. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the sheep-skin.

The letter A designates the breechingstrap, made according to my invention. This and the other similar straps referred to must be perfectly flexible and soft, so as to avoid iuo jury to the animal, and therefore are ordinarily wadded. It must also have tensile strength to withstand the strain of the pull to which in useit is subjected, and therefore it is ordinarily re-enforced on the outer side by a heavy strap.

I have found that the straps referred to, when made as hereinafter described, are far superior in point of durability, flexibility, and softness, and in the permanentretention of the two last-named qualities.

The inner face, a, of the strap (that side which is in contact with the animals skin) is composed, as usual, of any suitable leather. The outer face of the strap has the usual re enforce, f, of heavier leather to give strength, and between the inner-face strap and the outerface strap is the tanned sheep-skin or other skin, 9, which has its natural wool or hair adhering, the said wool or hair being inclosed and in contact with said inner-face strap 6, while the flesh side of the sheep-skinis in contact with the re-enforce f. It will thus be seen that the sheep-skin, as used, serves two duties or functions. First, it is a substitute for nearly the same quantity of leather, in that the leather of the inner-face parte need notbe folded or doubled over on the outer side as far as usual, but may be narrowed; second, the wool adhering naturally to the skin serves as a superior wadding, and imparts to the finished strap a kind of flexibility and softness not hitherto found in such straps.

I am aware that it is not new to constructa harness-strap in whichawool coveringisused; but such is liable to become at first matted by rubbing against the body of the animal,thereby chafing the skin and soon becoming glazed by the wearing of the wool, so that it loses its original characteristics. I I am also aware that it is not new to provide sheep-skins for pads for saddles, and such I do not claim; but I am not aware that for filling or stuffing of a strap strips of sheep -skin with the wool thereon have been used, whereby an increased flexibility is imparted to the strap, the wool thus serving two purposes.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United v ISAAC BERGMAN.

\Vitnesses:

J OIIN E. Mounts, JNo. 'I. hIADDOX. 

